In the Name of the Son (2007 film)
| In the Name of the Son | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Harun Mehmedinović |
| Produced by | Vikramādithya Singh |
| Written by | Harun Mehmedinović |
| Starring |
Sergej Trifunović, Jack Dimich, Elvedin Slipac, Ingrid Walters, Nino Cirabisi |
| Music by | Pinar Toprak |
| Cinematography | Jason Raswant |
| Edited by | Tyler Earring |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 26 minutes |
| Country |
United States Bosnia and Herzegovina India |
| Language | English, Bosnian |
In the Name of the Son is a 2007 drama/thriller short film, set during and after the Bosnian War in present-day Los Angeles, written and directed by Harun Mehmedinović, produced by Vikramadithya Singh with Ajfelov Most as fiscal sponsor.
History
The 25-minute film took a year and a half to complete and premiered at Telluride Film Festival in September, 2007. The film is not autobiographical, but it addresses the breakdown of normal societal ties that everyone in Bosnia witnessed and that Mehmedinović said he could not have written about without experiencing.[1][2]
Plot
The Name of the Son is a film that looks at human conflicts in the present, brought about during personal clashes in the Bosnian War in 1994.
After escaping execution, Tarik, a Bosnian prisoner of war, immigrates to the United States looking to leave his past behind. The psychosis of the conflicts that war brought to him when coping with these in civilian life are very hard for him. Years later, the man who spared his life shows up on Tarik's doorstep asking for a favor. However, the two main protagonists' feelings of guilt and torment are brought to bear with near devastating consequences.
Cast
- Sergej Trifunović as Tarik
- Jack Dimich as Pavle
- Elvedin Slipac as Milan
- Ingrid Walters as Ayanna
- Nino Cirabisi as Passenger
- Zoran Radanovich as Serb Officer #1
- Zoran Danilović as Serb Officer #2
- Val Marijan as Serb Officer #3
- Mark Simich as Serb Officer #4
- Edin Gali as Bosnian POW #1
- William Love as Bosnian POW #2
- Eric Reinholt as Bosnian POW #3
- Jessica Moreno as Passenger
- Ryan O'Quinn as World Cup Announcer #1
- Chip Mullaney as World Cup Announcer #2
Release
Critical reaction
Brandon Dumsky of The Standard said that In the Name of the Son's "riveting plot and direction flawlessly display so much tension that it is almost palpable. "In the Name of the Son" is an edge-of-your-seat thriller supplemented with enough empathy to show that even the most treacherous acts can be pardoned."[3]
Awards
Winner of 30 International Awards including:
- Best Director
- Franklin J. Schaffner Award, American Film Institute
- Richard P. Rogers Award, American Film Institute
- Special Jury Award, WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival
- Best Short
- San Diego Film Festival
- Stony Brook Film Festival
- BendFilm Festival
- Cleveland International Film Festival
- USA Film Festival
- Tallahassee Film Festival
- Savannah Film Festival
- Other Awards
- Angelus Award for "Audience Impact"
- Bridges/Larson Foundation Award for Screenwriting
Trivia
- In the Name of the Son was the first short film in history to receive an exclusive screening to the members of US Congress at the Capitol Hill.[4][5]
References
- ↑ Revisiting a War Once Left Behind. Washington Post by Tara Bahrampour - 13 August 2007
- ↑ Film replays Bosnia conflict. Reuters by Deborah Lutterbeck - 26 December 2008
- ↑ The Standard Magazine by Brandon Dumsky - 13 February 2008
- ↑ Screening at the Capitol Hill - BAACBH
- ↑ Screening at the Capitol Hill - Heinrich Böll Foundation